A unique solar roof tile has been launched in a collaboration by UK construction materials group Breedon.
Breedon Generon is a premium whole roof concept comprising a 3.2mm monocrystalline tempered glass PV cell discreetly integrated with a Breedon Elite 330mm x 420mm base concrete roof tile which is laid in sequence with matching standard roof tiles. Interconnecting cables then link the Generon tiles to create an overall solar output based on the number of tiles fitted. Typically, 260 tiles are required to generate a 4kW PV system – the benchmark for family homes.
Fitted by roofing contractors in an almost identical way to traditional roof tiles, the Generon system then simply connects to the remaining PV infrastructure to generate safe, reliable and renewable energy. This combination delivers a seamlessly integrated solar roof, without compromising aesthetics – a key attribute specifically designed to appeal to architects/specifiers and homeowners who, when questioned during research, wanted their home to generate solar energy but disliked the appearance of traditional solar panels, or even the more recent integrated solar systems.
To develop their innovative solar tile, Breedon partnered with Terran, a leading European roof tile manufacturer. A third-generation family-owned business, Terran has been at the forefront of roofing product innovation since 1920, and over the past five years has successfully developed and distributed the Generon roof tile across Europe.
Unlike traditional solar panels, Generon solar roof tiles offer a sleek and seamless design that blends in with the rest of the roof, whilst delivering high levels of performance. They also eliminate the need for separate contractors to install solar panels and their associated mounting materials as they can be easily installed by a roofing contractor using storm clips in sequence with the standard concrete roof tiles, thus reducing the time and overall cost of installation.
Generon has been designed and tested to be highly durable and withstand harsh weather conditions, including heavy rain, hail and high winds. Such solar roof tiles typically have longer lifespans than traditional solar panels and require less maintenance over time, owing to the securely integrated nature of their design.
Sleek and smooth in situ, the Generon system carries a 20-year performance guarantee, and has a dedicated home owner app to track real-time data about its energy production.
Breedon Group commercial manager Mark Morris said: “The Generon system offers building owners the opportunity to capitalise on the growing renewables market and specifiers the chance to help their customers to meet Part L of the Building Regulations.
“By investing in Generon, we have committed to becoming a leader in this new market by delivering the first roof top solar system which delivers cheap renewable energy, whilst maintaining the aesthetic integrity of the house.”
Growth forecasts for Generon are therefore very promising, with many industry analysts predicting double-digit annual growth for the adoption of solar systems for the next decade.